Ghost Envy
by princessofwriting
Summary: One by one each of my friends are falling to it. They don't see how hard my life is. They don't see that I need them. They see the powers, but they don't see the pain. Now all of my friends have Ghost Envy. I don't own Danny Phantom.
1. Chapter 1

**I hope you enjoy! By the way, no Phantom Planet!**

I could see it in his eyes, but I chose to ignore it. I didn't want to see it. If only I hadn't. Maybe I could have talked to him about it. I could see his disapproving glare whenever he saw a Danny Phantom doll or he saw an article in the newspaper about how I saved the day. He would make a joke whenever he heard a news reporter say Inviso-bill, but the words were always tinged with venom. He had even wished to be a halfa once. It had almost destroyed us both. If only I hadn't thought that was the end of it. "I'm sick of being a sidekick!" he said one day.

"You're not my sidekick, you're my best friend," I laughed.

"You're right," he responded, "Sidekicks get credit. Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, they're always standing right next to the hero! Sam and I have to run and hide when the reporters come in case our parents are watching the news!"

"So what?" I asked, confused, this conversation wasn't going down a good path, "Do you want a mask, a cape?"

"No! I'm sick of having to hide in your shadow! You think you're so much better than me just because you're part ghost!"

It hit me, like a ton of bricks. Ghost envy. I despised the topic. The idea of wanting death, and not only that, but living an existence with only one goal that could never be changed. It was unbelievable! People only saw the good part of it. The ability to fly, to have powers, they imagined that they would be above human. But they didn't see the loneliness, people hunting you down, the names people called out at you, the misconceptions, and to have everyone out to get you. I wished I had said all of this to Tucker. However, my only sentence was, "Being a ghost isn't that great," and the topic was left like that.

It had been a two weeks since the ghost envy conversation and I had almost forgotten about Tucker's jealousy. Then, on a breezy Saturday afternoon, it all came reeling back into my face. Sam and Tucker were going to meet up with me after a rough fight with Skulker. I had just pulled my shirt over my bandages when I heard them nock on the door. Jazz was at the library and my parents were at a ghost hunter's convention for the weekend. "Was it a bad fight?" asked Sam after I mentioned my face-off with Skulker.

I never liked my friends getting worried about me so I just shrugged and said, "I beat him and that's all that matters."

Out of nowhere Tucker rolled his eyes and mocked with poisonous words, "Anything else you want to rub in my face!"

Sam and I stared wide-eyed at his outburst. Neither of us was sure how to react. "Tucker," I said as Sam put her hand on his shoulder.

"No!" he screamed, "I'm sick and tired of being your little minion, and I'm sick and tired of you. I'm done being in Team Phantom!" and he stormed out of the house.

Tucker was the first to go.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate it!**

_Previously…_

"_Tucker," I said as Sam put her hand on his shoulder. _

"_No!" he screamed, "I'm sick and tired of being your little minion, and I'm sick and tired of you. I'm done being in Team Phantom!" and he stormed out of the house._

_Tucker was the first to go. _

Sam and I sat staring at the door for at least ten minutes as our mouths hung agape. After the eternal silence Sam spoke, "What just happened?"

We continued to stare at the door hoping he would run back in laughing, saying that he tricked us. But the hope was foolish. His rage was so deadly; I thought that it would end my half-life. "He... he left," I whimpered.

"Don't worry," Sam tried to smile, "he'll come back."

"No he won't. Remember when Tucker wished to have ghost powers like me," Sam nodded and I continued, "That was ghost envy. I thought he had learned, but a couple of weeks ago he brought it up again," tears began to prick at the corners of my eyes, "the fury just finally got the better of him."

Sam, put her arms around my shoulders trying to comfort me. "It's my fault, isn't it?" I cried, "If I wasn't such a show-off, such a jerk."

Sam twisted me around so that I had to look into her eyes. "Danny, that's your inner hero talking. It isn't your fault," she spoke sternly.

"But I could have talked to him about it. I could have-"

"No! There was no way you could have known that it would escalate this far."

Her words meant nothing.

School was awkward on Monday. It was sad seeing Tucker sit by himself at lunch, but when I tried to walk over to him he shot me a look so venomous that my feet moved away without my control. Jazz saw this exchange and sat next to me. "What happened?" she asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," I sneered

"Danny, bottling up your fillings will do nothing to improve this situation," the psychiatrist-side of her spoke.

I rolled my eyes and explained to her what had happened. "I'll go talk to him," she declared.

I was about to protest, but Sam smiled and interrupted by saying, "Jazz is great at talking to people, she can only make things better."

Comforted by the thought I watched her trot towards Tucker. I saw him mouth that he was fine and that she should go away, but she stood firm and got him to explain his side of the story. He got visibly angrier the more he said and just nodded and sometimes added a comment that I couldn't hear from the distance away. After a couple of minutes of this exchange she smiled warmly and made her way back towards Sam and I. "How'd it go?" I asked, "Does he forgive me?"

"More like, does he see the error his ways," Sam grumbled under her breath.

"Tucker and I now see eye to eye," she smiled, but there was something weird about the look in her eyes.

Joy welled up inside me, and a jack-o-lantern grin spread across my face. "Oh, thank you Jazz!" I shouted before wrapping my arms around her in a tight hug, "Is he going to sit over here?"

"Maybe I should clarify," she sighed as if she was getting frustrated with a 2nd grader, "I agree with Tucker. You are always bragging and you constantly reap the rewards of the fame that is only there because of our help."

My grin dropped. She was my sister, how could she be saying this. "Jazz, do you have ghost envy?" I asked, fearful of the answer.

She rolled her eyes before saying, "It's more like ghost aggravation, but yes, that is the closest scientific name to how Tucker and I are feeling. Now since you enjoy the positive attributes that come with being a hero I think you should have to earn them. I'm out of Team Phantom as well."

"Jazz, no!" I cried.

"You didn't want me on the team since the beginning, so you got your wish," she growled before she walked over and sat down with Tucker.

I buried my head into my hands, "Great call, Sam," I thought, but I wouldn't say it for fear of pushing her over the edge too.

My world seemed to be caving in around me. I was like King Midas, but whatever I touched didn't turn to gold, it turned to bitterness. "Enjoy the positive attributes that come with being a hero, what positive attributes?"I thought, "Lack of sleep, poor grades, injuries, getting hunted down, avoiding the mobs that followed me, hero life wasn't that great."

Pain filled every part of me. Not the physical pain. That I could deal with. This pain hurt more than a broken rib or a second degree burn. This pain wrenched at my heart, it filled my mind. I couldn't just put on a band-aid and take some medicine. This pain was emotional. She basically just abandoned me. It felt worse than being hunted down by my own parents. At least they didn't know I was related to them. Jazz knew. She was therapist, my doctor when Sam wasn't there, she was my excuse-maker, she was my sister.

Jazz was the second to go.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the really late update (on all of my stories). I don't own Danny Phantom, because would Butch Hartman really go by the username princessofwriting?**

_ Previously…_

_ Pain filled every part of me. Not the physical pain. That I could deal with. This pain hurt more than a broken rib or a second degree burn. This pain wrenched at my heart, it filled my mind. I couldn't just put on a band-aid and take some medicine. This pain was emotional. She basically just abandoned me. It felt worse than being hunted down by my own parents. At least they didn't know I was related to them. Jazz knew. She was therapist, my doctor when Sam wasn't there, she was my excuse-maker, she was my sister._

_Jazz was the second to go. _

Sam and I both just stared at each other, once again not sure what to say. This awkward exchange lasted until thunderous footsteps were heard behind me. "Fentoenail!" a voice screamed.

My eyes flashed green and I whipped my head around. "What do you want?" I sneered.

The blonde bully faltered for a second, but quickly returned to his usual cruel demeanor. "I got a D on my science test, and you know what that means."

His fist raced towards me, but compared to most people I fought it was slow and weak. Before it could reach my torso I stuck my hand out and stopped in its tracks. Grabbing on to his fist I flipped him over so that his back crashed on to the table. Miraculously the table supported his weight. I shoved my elbow on top of his abdomen so he couldn't get up. "Dash, I am not in the mood right now," I growled, "I get D's all the time and what do I do? I _deal_ with it! So toughen up and leave…me…ALONE!"

Without even realizing it an ectoblast was charging up in my hand that wasn't restraining Dash. Sam saw it and grabbed on to my shoulder. With one look from her I calmed down and released Dash. As I began to walk away I gave one last look at the jock before shaking my head and muttering that he isn't worth my time.

Not surprisingly after lunch I received a detention from Mr. Lancer. I saw him write down the reason as deliberate physical violence. "Self-defense," I sneered.

"What was that Daniel?" he asked even though he obviously heard me.

"He was going to punch me!" I shouted, "Maybe I took it too far, but trust me he has done more total pain to me and all of the other unpopular students."

"We don't have enough evidence to-"

"Not enough evidence?!" I screamed, "You have enough evidence to send him to jail! Every teacher if they weren't so worried about upsetting an 'outstanding athlete'" I used air quotes to add to my point, "every student if they weren't so scared of him, and the school security cameras! And yet he never gets in trouble. Maybe if the school had stopped his bullying when it first began it wouldn't have come to this!"

I got another day of detention.

After school and serving my time in detention I flew home. Once I shouted, "I'm home," so my parents didn't go around town (again) with a megaphone asking if anyone had seen me I headed towards the lab. I didn't even bother to open the door that led to the basement and instead sulked intangibly through it. I opened the ghost portal and flew into the welcoming green realm, hoping to find comfort with one of my few friends in the Ghost Zone. I flew until I felt the already chilly air turn even more freezing. I looked down and saw only ice. The Far Frozen, where I'm always welcome. I dropped down and wandered around until I saw the cave that my good friend Frostbite dwelled in. "Frostbite," I sighed as I collapsed against the cave wall.

"Great One!" he shouted, surprised by my visit.

"I have had, like, the worst day of my life!" I groaned while I buried my head in my hands.

"Luck you," he muttered.

My head shot up, "What?"

"You at least have a life to have a worst day during," he snorted.

"So having my best friend and my sister abandon me is lucky?" I asked, thoroughly astounded by his comment.

"It's part of being a teenager, Great One," he said like the title was starting to really bother him, "It's part of being alive."

"What the heck?" I thought as I stared at him, my face full of shock, "Could this really be happening?"

I looked out of the cave and saw the faces of those who used to be my allies staring at me with disgust. "You should go, _Danny_, your presence is bothering us." Frostbite sneered.

The fact that he used my first name was thoroughly surprising.

"Why?" I asked, this day was becoming too much to handle.

His eyes bored into my head. "You complain of being a ghost and we comfort you, because we understand. Now you complain of being human and you ask for comfort once more. You have your life, something none of us have anymore. Danny, we _envy_ you."

He said it. The word stung more than any insult, any curse, any weapon ever could. I backed away, my steps clumsy from shock. As soon as I was out of the cave I took off running. No one was around anymore. The hero mask I wore fell. Tears streaked against my face and froze on my cheeks. The cliff that ended the far frozen seemed to appear out of nowhere, but out of natural reaction I simply began to fly home. Hardly anyone was there for me. "Human envy?" I thought.

The idea was odd, but it at least made more sense than ghost envy. Maybe it was a thing in the ghost zone. I certainly felt it when I had to wake up in the middle of the night to be hero when everyone else was fast asleep. Ghosts had at least felt what it was like to be human and now longed for it once more. Nonetheless it still hurt when I was once again abandoned, because I had something no one else had. Well, almost no one. I stopped dead in my tracks. "No," I thought, "I hadn't come to that low," and with that thought I flew home, the icy land fading away behind me.

Everyone from the Far Frozen were third to go.

**Well, I bet hardly anyone (if anyone) saw that coming. Poor Danny :' ( Thanks for reading this story so far. Bye!**


	4. Chapter 4

**If writer's block is death, school is the executioner.**

_Previously…_

_The idea was odd, but it at least made more sense than ghost envy. Maybe it was a thing in the ghost zone. I certainly felt it when I had to wake up in the middle of the night to be hero when everyone else was fast asleep. Ghosts had at least felt what it was like to be human and now longed for it once more. Nonetheless it still hurt when I was once again abandoned, because I had something no one else had. Well, almost no one. I stopped dead in my tracks. "No," I thought, "I hadn't come to that low," and with that thought I flew home, the icy land fading away behind me._

_Everyone from the Far Frozen were third to go._

When I returned home I saw multiple missed calls from Sam waiting for me. I called her back, involuntarily filled with fear that she would abandon me as well. "Danny?" she asked as soon as I picked up the phone.

"Yeah, it's me. I was-"

"Oh, Danny! I was so worried about you," I instantly let out a sigh of relief, "I was scared that you might have… well, you know, after all that's happened… you could have-"

"Don't worry about that Sam," I responded knowing exactly what she didn't want to say, "I still have you… right?"

"Of course!" she hollered, feigning offense, "How dare you even think I would do such a thing!"

I couldn't help, but smirk at the show she made, "Hey, uh, do you want to come over. I really just need to talk to someone right now and it just doesn't seem right over the phone. You know, because used to all I had to do was walk over to Jazz-" my voice caught just by mentioning her name.

Every emotion that I had forgotten while talking to Sam overwhelmed every part of me. I tried to hold back the sobs that were trying to escape my throat, because I didn't want to seem weak to Sam. However, she seemed to sense my every feeling over the phone as she replied, "I'm on my way."

It seemed like no time had passed from the time I hung up to the sound of knocking on my door. "Come in!" I exclaimed.

Sam rushed in and instantly swept me into a heartfelt hug, which was incredibly surprising since she never was the hugging type. "I'm so sorry for everything that's happened today."

"Its fine," I shrugged, lying through my teeth.

"Danny, cut the act. You don't need to try to be strong for me."

I would have protested, but I hurt so much. I dropped to the floor and tried to hide my tears with my hands. Sam sat beside me and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. She didn't say a thing for a solid fifteen minutes and it was me who finally broke the silence. "Frostbite despises me also," I said when I had finally ran out of tears.

"What?" Sam gasped.

"Yeah," I sniffed, "he said that I don't appreciate the life that I have."

Sam's mouth hung agape before she stuttered out, "He… he has no idea how difficult your life is."

"But is he really that wrong!" I shouted, "All I do is complain to people. I complain about how hard it is to be a ghost. I complain about how hard it is to be human. I'm just always whining to people. It's a wonder that everyone I care about didn't get sick of me earlier!"

"Everyone?" Sam asked.

My eyes shot up, "No Sam. I didn't mean it like that. I care about you, but I was just saying, um."

"Don't worry about it Danny, I understand what you meant. I talked to Jazz and Tucker today."

For a moment my heart filled with panic. The last time someone tried to talk another out of ghost envy they joined in themselves. "And…" I asked, in order for her to continue her thought quicker.

"And they're complete idiots!" I let out a deep sigh of relief, "How they could even do that to you is just… just preposterous!"

"Oh Sam, I'm so glad you're still on my side!"

"Always," she smiled.

For a week Sam and I sat at one end of the lunchroom and Tucker and Jazz sat at the other, but that was about to change.

It had been a long, rough seven days of ghost hunting and unfortunately for Sam I had to rely on her more than ever, since my two other allies had left me. We sat down at our lunch table and I watched Sam practically fall asleep on her salad. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"No Danny, I'm not," she hissed.

As I reached out to comfort her she jerked away from me. "What's wrong?"

"Well to start, I've hardly gotten any sleep the past couple of days, because you're constantly calling for my help."

I stared at her in shock. Did she realize that there were even more ghosts that I didn't bother her about in between those calls? Did she know that I only called her as a last resort? Did she understand how hard I was trying to protect the town while still making her life as easy as I possibly could? Her statement continued. "Secondly, I barely had enough time to do my homework! I got a detention for being late, I've fallen asleep in class twice this week, and my parents grounded me for coming home past my curfew."

How could I explain to her that I had gone through all that she has ten times over? I couldn't risk saying something that would make the last person that I truly cared for leave me. I needed her right now. I needed her more than I needed air to breath. "Sam, are you done with me too?"

The look in her eyes confirmed my worst fears. "If only," I thought, "If only I hadn't called her three times in one night. If only I had taken the extra beating. If only I thanked her more," but nothing could change now, she was already getting up to leave.

"But Sam," I shouted as I grabbed on to her arm, stopping her in her tracks, "I… I love you."

Her breath caught and she stood perfectly still. All eyes in the lunchroom were watching us, as if they had waited for me to say that for a long time. Sam took a few deep breaths before she finally said, "I did too Danny," my hopes shot up and a smile even graced my face, "but you're a little late now," and she stormed away.

It seemed as if Sam was the only person moving in the entire lunchroom. I felt completely numb. Nothingness filled me. I felt neither angry nor sad, I was just empty. "If only I had told her I loved her sooner."

Sam was the fourth to go.

**And that was the dreaded Sam chapter. Oh my goodness, it was actually a little painful writing that. Well, I'm really sorry for the late update (on all of my stories). I'll try to update quicker.**

**P.S. I still don't own Danny Phantom**


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